This invention relates to the field of exit alarms for doors, and more particularly concerns concealment of an exit alarm assembly in an escutcheon.
Various types of exit alarms, which sound as a door is opened from the inside, have been used effectively as a means of egress control. Examples of the various types include standalone box alarms, paddle arms, exit devices with integrated alarms, delayed egress exit devices, and others. While allowing egress, the alarm function deters the use of an opening except under emergency situations such as a fire, natural disaster, or manmade crisis.
The type of alarm unit used depends on the type of occupancy for which the building was designed. When the opening is to be used for egress as part of life-safety codes, an exit device, such as a device with a crossbar or flatbar operator, or similar panic device may be used and could contain an integral alarm function. When the occupancy is low or the opening is not considered to be a path of egress for life-safety, other locks, for example, mortise or cylindrical locks, may be used. Current practice provides for use of such locks in conjunction with a box alarm that is mounted separately on the door and frame, although other more complicated solutions are available that require hardwiring to external power sources. The resulting opening is fully functional, but the box alarms are unsightly and require additional installation time. In addition, identifying sources for and correctly installing separate products takes a significant amount of coordination, cost, and effort.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an alarm that is aesthetically pleasing and housed in a single unit. Ideally, the alarm unit may be standalone or designed to be connected to an external power source.